Craziness of Being in Charge

In charge today. Came prepared. Large quantities of chips and salsa to appease the villagers (staff on the unit). If, as Mary Poppins postulated, a little bit of sugar helps the medicine go down, then snacks in the back help the staff bear their burdens easier!

Day wasn't too bad. Little fires here and there. Tranferred one of four possible patients to the floor. Had little alert for possible admission calls from the OR . One nurse had to go home sick. I went to lunch feeling good, and even managed to take a 20 minute nap. Then I came back and was accosted.

Clinic patient had to be admitted because there wasn't an appropriate bed on the floor. Had to staff for a liver transplant admission. Two trauma calls from the ED. One night nurse called in sick. One unexpected post-op admission. One transport from another hospital for a surgical consult.

Ended up taking the clinic patient, eventhough it was later discovered that she was in the middle of a chemo regimen. Was able to staff for a team leader to admit the liver tranplant later in the night shift. Trauma calls ended up being stable enough for the floor. Took the post-op. And our ICU team ended up postponing the transport when I explained the staffing difficulty.

At the end of the shift, I was able to give report to Fearless Leader (one of the core charge nurses, and probably the most knowledgeable and capable nurses working in my unit). And I escaped to Lindy Groove.

Of course, I stayed later than I should have.

Mr. Little was back from San Diego for his second summer law internship. He's short and skinny, but he's a fabulous lead. He's got this interesting styling ... pulling back and twisting his right shoulder during a whip that no one else does. He also reminded me that SYTYCD was starting tonight. I hope it's still going to record since I haven't touched the tivo programming on it since last year.

His Vickness and Evincerator. Love these guys.

CaucasianStretchJ and I talked about Yosemite, where he is going this weekend. Reminds me that I need to condition and make at least one more trip and make it up to the top of Half Dome. Up the Rainbow path (past the waterfalls), and down the backside (with all the switchbacks), armed with my camelback and trekking poles. And hopefully no thunder like last time.

Darring showed me a new Charleston angle-shifting movement. Very easy and smooth. I can't even remember how he did it, but that just shows what a good lead he can be.

Left at about 2330. Got home and checked to see if SYTYCD had recorded. It had. And I WATCHED THE WHOLE THING! Nuts. I'm so nuts.